ADVICE TO BUYERS. 49 



pointing out any defects that may be of too obscure a na- 

 ture to attract your notice. When such assistance cannot 

 be procured, the following hints will be found undoubtedly 

 useful. 



It would be useless to attempt a minute examination of 

 a horse while the dealer or his assistant are present ; the 

 sloping ground upon which the horse stands for examina- 

 tion gives a deceptive view of his form and height, while 

 the constant fear he feels of the whip, and the high-flown 

 panegyrics lavished upon him, are so perplexing to a per- 

 son unaccustomed to the business, that he is apt to over- 

 look the most palpable defects ; nor is it possible for the 

 most experienced to examine him with all the accuracy 

 and attention that are necessary, as an unobserved flourish 

 of the whip, or some other private hint from the seller, or 

 some of his assistants, may keep the horse constantly in 

 motion, particularly when the eye happens to be directed 

 to a part that he does not wish to be inspected. I do not 

 mean to say that this is always the case ; there are many 

 dealers, no doubt, of strict integrity, who afford ample 

 opportunity to those who wish to examine their horses, 

 and so far from wishing to practice any deception upon 

 the inexperienced, will never warrant a horse sound unless 

 they are convinced that he is really so ; but that there are 

 men in the business who have recourse to a variety of 

 tricks to deceive the unwary, is too notorious to be doubt- 

 ed. It is advisable, therefore, after taking a general view 

 of the animal, so as to be satisfied with respect to his 

 figure and action, to ride him off to some convenient place, 

 where he may be examined without interruption. 



In a book published a few years ago on this subject, by 

 Mr. R. Lawrence, he observes that " there are two kinds 

 of horse-dealers the common, and the gentleman dealer ; 



